NATION/briefly - May 21, 2001

DENVER  Up to 20,000 people lost power Sunday as a fast-moving storm packing high winds, rain and snow blew through Colorado.

Xcel Energy said there were a half-dozen outages and that crews hoped to restore power in a few hours.

Some flights were affected at Denver International Airport because of blowing debris and snow. At least one plane was diverted to Colorado Springs.

In downtown Denver, temperatures plummeted from the mid-70s to 37 degrees in less than an hour. Winds up to 50 mph were reported.

Six people were hospitalized after a crash involving up to a dozen vehicles on Highway 85 when blowing dust cut visibility, KCNC-TV reported. The highway was closed briefly between Fort Lupton and Greeley.

The wind knocked down trees and powerlines and snarled traffic in Denver, police spokeswoman Virginia Lopez said. A mall in Littleton was evacuated after part of a roof collapsed.

NY detectives grab murder suspect

BUFFALO, N.Y.  A fugitive accused of killing four people over a three-day period, including his girlfriend and his stepbrother, was captured early Sunday.

Frank Murphy, 41, was arrested without incident on the east side of the city, detectives said.

Murphy was charged with four counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of stepbrother Michael Eaton, girlfriend Gail McFarland, William Ransom and Occie Reddin.

Authorities said charges could be upgraded to capital murder counts that carry the death penalty.

Police Homicide Chief Joseph Riga has said it appeared Murphy, on parole after a robbery conviction, was "robbing and killing people he's acquainted with."

Eaton, 31, was found on May 3, dead of a shot in the head. Later that day, the 36-year-old Ransom was found shot to death in a car. Police found Reddin, 46, dead in his home on May 4, killed by a blow to the head and stabbed in the upper body.

Reddin and Ransom knew Murphy, and when police went looking for him at McFarland's house on May 5, they found the 43-year-old woman shot to death.

Murphy was jailed without bail; it was not immediately known if he'd retained an attorney.

Swift twins remain hospitalized

BOSTON  Acting Gov. Jane Swift was re-leased from the hospital Sunday, but her new-born twins will remain hospitalized for at least a day longer.

Lauren Alma and Sarah Jane, who were born Tuesday, were being held for observation after being treated for jaundice.

Swift spokesman Jason Kauppi said Sunday that the initial treatment was successful, but doctors wanted to keep the girls an extra day to make sure the problem does not recur.

"They're doing well," he said. "If nothing changes, they will hopefully be released (Mon-day)."

Jaundice, a condition which gives the skin a yellowish tint, is a common problem among newborns and is treated by putting the infants under special fluorescent lights.

Swift, 36, became acting governor in April when predecessor Paul Cellucci became ambas-sador to Canada. She is the nation's youngest governor and first to give birth while in office.